One of the most widely used items of apparel is a hat, especially baseball-type caps. In addition to being used by sports teams during athletic events, baseball caps are worn by both men and women as part of their general wardrobe. Some of the reasons for the popularity of baseball caps are that they are lightweight and comfortable to wear, they come in almost any color and may include indicia which promotes a person's particular like, and they do not require much care to maintain in good condition.
Unfortunately, it is a result of this last reason that certain individuals require a solution to a problem. While baseball caps do not require much care, many people quickly destroy their caps due to severe mis-handling. As a result of their design, baseball caps are often simply thrown about or even folded or smashed when not being worn. Although many baseball caps can withstand this abuse up to a point, after an extended duration the caps become disfigured and un-wearable. Also, after repeated washing, or exposure to rain, when caps are simply left as-is to dry, they can become disfigured.
Obviously, if there were some way to store baseball caps, which would allow the caps to be maintained in a position similar to that of being worn on a person's head and that could keep the cap's brim at an angle of 176.degree. for optimum sun-shading capability, it would be a beneficial. Additionally, it would be helpful if the caps could be stored along with a person's other clothes, while utilizing existing space, such as in a closet.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention however, the following U.S. patents were considered related:
PAT. NO. INVENTOR ISSUED 5,991,927 Barbaccia Nov. 30, 1999 5,685,465 Berardis Nov. 11, 1997 5,533,652 Levin July 9, 1996
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,927 discloses a device that is comprised of a bill-shaping well with a bill locking portion at each of its first and second terminal ends. The bill of a cap fits into the device such that the bill locking portions frictionally hold the bill against the bill-shaping wall, thereby shaping the bill into the shape of the bill-shaping wall. The bill-support wall preferably further includes indicia and a transparent plastic card-holder for storing and displaying a baseball card.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,465 discloses a brim-shaping device for a baseball-type cap. The device is designed to create and maintain a desired curvature of the cap brim. The device is comprised of a mold that has a substantially hollow, curved body, and a curved shaping slot for insertion of the cap brim into the hollow, curved body. The mold may have slots running along its sides to allow for aeration of the cap when it is wet. The hollow mold is shaped to present the cap at a given angle, so that the cap portion is displayed above the brim as it rests in the shaping slot. The mold itself is attachable to a display rack, so that the shaping device can also double as a merchandising tool during the sale of the cap.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,652 discloses a device for bowing the brim of a cap and storing, transporting and/or displaying a cap. The device is comprised of a central body portion extending downward on each side and terminating with upward extending retention arms at each side thereof forming first and second receipt areas for the first and second side of the cap brim. The design of the central body causes the brim to be formed into a desired curve with an elastic band extending over the top of the brim from the first retention arm to the second retention arm. Slots can be disposed inward of one of the receipt areas allowing one side of the brim to form alternate brim receipt areas for different desired brim curvatures.